Analysis: Jobs are rebounding, but skilled labor is lackingU.S. private-sector jobs are recovering much faster than they did after the 2001 recession, data show, but 49% of employers say they're having trouble finding the labor they need for jobs in information technology, engineering and skilled trades. Part of the problem is that a lack of investment in education has led to training that has not kept up with technological changes, Laura Tyson writes. The Guardian (London)/Economics Blog
(10/17)

Recruiting & Retention

Is it time to redefine your career site?Employers such as Procter & Gamble and Disney use career websites that are separate from their corporate websites so that they better reach "the career-minded audience," Russell Miyaki writes. He addresses the challenges and objectives of having separate sites. ERE.net
(10/17)

More states consider government-run retirementA number of states, notably California, are considering getting into the retirement business for private workers, offering programs whereby employers automatically enroll workers in a state-overseen retirement fund that is managed professionally at no risk to the state. Other states considering similar efforts include Massachusetts, Illinois and Rhode Island. SmartMoney.com/Encore blog
(10/16)

Report: 70% of large firms offer 401(k) plans rather than pensionsNew salaried employees are being offered 401(k) plans instead of defined-benefit plans at 70% of Fortune 100 companies, Towers Watson reports. "The trade-off of cost versus talent issues is very real and will, without question, affect workforce and productivity issues as the next generation of workers ages," Towers Watson's Kevin Wagner says. BenefitsPro.com
(10/17)

Regulatory & Legal Update

Judge: Black workers faced hostile environment, may have added to itA jury must decide whether three black former employees of Holmes & Holmes Industrial in Utah willingly contributed to creating a hostile work environment, a federal judge has ruled. The three employees were subjected to racial jokes and slurs that no "reasonable African-American would not be offended by," the judge ruled. However, the employees' own use of racial terms suggest that they did not consider their work environment to be hostile, said a lawyer representing Holmes & Holmes. The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
(10/16)

The HR Leader

Do your speeches do more to discourage than to motivate?If you're a leader, the way you talk to employees can significantly affect productivity and their attitudes toward the company. Mary Jo Asmus cites a job where her CEO threatened layoffs unless productivity improved -- and recounts the corresponding effect on morale. "The problem was that the CEO's speech never once made anyone feel inspired or motivated to work harder," she writes, with no thank-you for employee efforts or ideas for increasing productivity. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(10/17)

Workplace Chatter

Church heads online in search for new vicarVillagers in England are using YouTube videos in a bid to attract a vicar to their congregation. Their clips, featuring villagers making bad jokes and talking to a cardboard-cutout vicar, have helped draw attention to the vacancy, which had previously failed to attract a single applicant. The Telegraph (London)
(10/15)

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